Episode 27: I Hate Being Compared

I’d taken up position between Yui-san’s legs as she sat on the sofa, staring intently at the travel site while operating the tablet.

As for Yui-san herself, she’s just resting her chin on my shoulder and staring intently at it from behind, without offering any opinion whatsoever since earlier.

　I’d been scrolling back and forth, searching for autumn travel spots, but couldn’t find anything at all. Growing impatient, I turned to her.

“Hey, Yui, isn’t there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“Where Kanata wants to go.”

“But it’s the travel voucher you got, Yui. We should go where you want to go.”

“Hmm… but since we’re going on a trip together, I’d rather go somewhere you’d enjoy.”

Hearing that, I felt stuck. The travel voucher was a present from Yukiyasu-san to Yui-san, after all.

I wondered where Yui-san might enjoy going.

Since we were going to make the trip, somewhere with a seasonal feel seemed best. It was our first trip together, so somewhere relaxing, somewhere memorable.

“…Well, it is autumn, so somewhere with beautiful autumn leaves, perhaps?”

“Ah, how about Hakone then?”

Yui-san stretched the arm she’d had draped around my waist and swiftly operated the tablet.

“The autumn leaves are supposed to be at their best in late November. That’s perfect timing, isn’t it?”

Hakone, huh… How many years has it been since I last went to a hot spring? It’s been getting a bit chilly lately, and an open-air bath would surely be wonderful.

“…Sounds lovely, a hot spring.”

“Then it’s settled. Now that we’ve decided, let’s find a place to stay straight away. We’ll bathe together in the hot spring, alright?”

I nodded without thinking it through, then suddenly snapped back to reality and turned to look at Yui-san.

Why hadn’t I thought of it? If we went to a hot spring together, she’d definitely suggest bathing together. It was obvious.

Panicking, I shook my head vigorously.

“N-no. I won’t bathe with you.”

“Eh? Why not?”

Her dissatisfied voice made me feel so uncomfortable under her steady gaze that I averted my eyes.

“Because… it’s embarrassing, isn’t it?”

I murmured, pouting my lips slightly. Even without asking why, she must have guessed the reason.

“But we’re both girls. Why not?”

The fact we’re both girls wasn’t the reason. If it were Yuri or Ritsu, I wouldn’t mind sharing a bath at all. But Yui-san… it’s different.

We’ve kissed countless times. She’s even pinned me down before. Expecting me not to be conscious of her? That’s asking the impossible.

　As I hesitated to answer, her voice urged me, “Kanata,” demanding a reason, while she hugged me tighter. Resigned, I opened my mouth.

“…Yui-san, you’ve seen lots of different women naked, haven’t you? I don’t want to be compared.”

I don’t know what kind of girls Yui-san has spent nights with before.
　But having her see my breasts — not particularly large, just perfectly average — and my body, which isn’t exactly curvaceous, is embarrassing.

“Whatever,” I muttered sulkily, and I could tell Yui chuckled softly.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“I wouldn’t dream of comparing. Does it really bother you that much? You’re adorable, Kanata.”

“…So, no hot spring after all.”

When I said that, Yui laughed out loud. “Sorry, sorry, don’t sulk,” she said, shaking the body she was hugging, but I ignored her and turned away. I could tell she was clearly teasing me, and it wasn’t amusing.

“Well then, shall we go in at a different time? I’ll book somewhere with a private room bath. How about that?”

“Hmm, if it’s that…”

“It’s a shame we can’t bathe together, but I suppose we’ll save the fun for the right moment.”

The right moment… Even though I’d said I didn’t want to show her my naked body, Yui-san spoke as if she was certain “that opportunity” would arise, making my face flush with embarrassment.

I pinched the hand around my waist in protest.

“…Yui-san, you’re such a lecher.”

“It’s a bit late now, isn’t it?”

A bit late, eh? Fair enough. She’s always so kind, I tend to forget, but I’d completely forgotten that despite her pretty face, all Yui-san thinks about is doing naughty things with girls.

Anyway, my request had been granted, so I slid my finger across the tablet to look up Hakone when a notification ping sounded from my pocket.

　Who could it be at this hour?

Wondering, I pulled out my phone to find a message in my chat app: “What are you doing now?”

A familiar icon.

“…Oh, it’s you, Hayakawa-kun.”

I replied, “Nothing much,” knowing full well he’d follow up with “Can I call?” So I added, “I’m planning a trip with Yui-san.”

　Right, I thought, closing my phone to look up Hakone again, when suddenly a hand reached out from behind and grabbed it.

“Do you call him often?”

“Eh?”

“You’ve been talking for half an hour.”

I wondered what on earth she meant, but then I saw the previous call log still open on the chat app screen. Yui-san must have noticed it.

“No, it’s mostly just me listening to Hayakawa-kun talk…”

“Hmm…”

It wasn’t like I was doing anything wrong, but being called out on it felt awkward.

“…Is that a problem?”

“It’s not a problem, but… if you’re not interested, you don’t have to go out of your way to talk to him, do you?”

That was fair enough, I thought.
It was only relatively recently that Hayakawa-kun started calling me, partly because our shifts hadn’t overlapped much lately.

　Having repeatedly called Yui-san “dishonest,” I couldn’t say I felt entirely free of guilt about my own dishonesty.

“…But Yui-san gets calls from all sorts of girls all the time, doesn’t she?”

Knowing full well what I was implying, I said it accusingly, unable to bear it. Yui-san laughed.

“I don’t make long calls, do I?”

“Then why do they call?”

“Mostly to invite me out for drinks.”

Liar. I didn’t say it, but I knew she was being invited home, not just out for drinks.

I know Yui-san has been leaving the house less often lately because I told her I didn’t want her to go.

Of course, that doesn’t mean she stopped going out at night. There are nights when I find myself wondering if she’s been doing that sort of thing with other girls.

　I tried my best not to think about it. If I found out it was true, I had no confidence I wouldn’t be hurt.

“…Before I came to live here, did you invite girls over?”

“Of course not. The only people who’ve ever been in this flat are Kanata and Ritsu.”

Knowing that, it struck me as odd, even now.

“…But seriously, Yui-san, why did you agree to this flat-sharing arrangement in the first place?”

It was a simple question. Why would she, someone who rarely let people into her home, agree to share a flat with me, someone she’d never even met?

“Because she is the daughter of someone who looked after my father. There’s no reason to refuse, is there?”

I see. So my father’s past actions are what led to this. I really ought to thank him.

“But honestly, I did wonder what to do at first. I knew sooner or later you’d realise I’m a lesbian, but it happened much sooner than I expected.”

I reckon that’s because you were partying rather wildly.

“…And you told me at first that you didn’t just sleep around with anyone, but that was a lie too.”

　When I pointed that out, Yui laughed awkwardly, trying to brush it off. Somehow, she’d ended up taking so much from me.

And honestly, I’m surprised at myself for letting her get away with it.

When we first moved in together, I never imagined we’d become this close.

“Well, it’s all because you’re so adorable, Kanata.”

“It’s my fault?”

“Yes, it’s all your fault.”

I absolutely believe it’s all Yui’s fault. I know we’ll never get anywhere blaming each other, but I simply can’t help but hold her responsible.

I could never say it’s your fault for being so irresistible, not even if my life depended on it.

“Honestly, I couldn’t go back to a life without you.”

She gently kissed my cheek, and I accepted it. I too had grown far too accustomed to spending every day in your arms; I couldn’t imagine living alone again.

“Well then, shall we go back to England together at the end of the year? I’ll show you around London.”

Leaning her weight heavily against my back, Yui-san laughed.

“That’s just because you absolutely don’t want to go home alone, isn’t it? You said flying was boring and painful.”

Caught out, I stuck out my tongue.

“Let’s forget about going home for now and plan our trip to Hakone? I want to eat black eggs.”

“Are they tasty? Those?”

“I don’t know if they’re tasty, but apparently they extend your lifespan.”

“Ahaha, what’s that? Really?”

I hadn’t known that. Planning a trip is this much fun.

Ever since meeting Yui-san, it’s been one new thing after another.

I hope we can go to lots of places together while Yui-san is still a student. I want to see the town she grew up in, her favourite spots, and I want her to see the town I grew up in too.

　My finger danced across the tablet as my thoughts drifted to our potential destinations.

As we debated back and forth over accommodation options, we lost track of time. Before we knew it, the date had changed, and we’d completely forgotten about the messages waiting for us.

In the end, I didn’t manage to reply to Hayakawa-kun’s message until the following morning.